Internet Newsletter for Lawyers
July/August 2004, by Delia Venables

co.uk or .com? (or .ie or .com?)
by Delia Venables

I have a large number of firms and chambers' websites on my site and I have used these web addresses to find out the percentage using the country code (co.uk or .ie) in their domain name as distinct from the international .com code.

It seems that around 76% of English and Welsh firms use the national co.uk code whereas slightly fewer in Scotland or Ireland do so (69% and 65% respectively). Northern Ireland has the lowest percentage (47%). Chambers have around 63% using the country code.

Here are the results in a little more detail, showing the size of the sample used in each case.

Category	Sample size	co.uk or .ie	.com	% with country code
English firms (starting with A & B)	296	225	71	76%
Welsh firms (all)	74	54	20	73%
Scottish (A to J)	127	88	39	69%
N. Ireland (all)	47	22	25	47%
Irish firms (all)	102	66	36	65%
Chambers (A to E)	65	41	24	63%

Although the country codes are still in the majority, there is a steady stream of firms and chambers changing from a co.uk address to .com. It seems to be a one way street - I do not know of anyone going in the opposite direction! Generally, firms maintain both addresses for a period (usually arranging for the co.uk address to transfer automatically to the .com for a period at least) but the "prime" address nevertheless becomes the .com one.

In addition, firms quite often seem to take advantage of any change in their name or status to change the url to a .com address at the same time.

Here are some of the firms which have made the change:

Collyer-Bristow, Cunningham John, Duncombe Commercial Solicitors, Elliot Duffy Garrett, Fox Williams, Gordons (previously Gordons Cranswick), Grant Saw (previously Grant Saw & Sons), Gray Muirhead, Latimer Lee, MacRoberts, Olivers, Olswang, Pinsents (previously Pinsent Curtis), Radia Partnership, Raeburn Christie, Starkie and Gregory, Steel and Shamash and Veitch Penny.

Chambers making the change include Field Court Chambers and 12 Old Square.

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